OREANDA-NEWS. April 22, 2013. Kazakh Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov has attended the Forum of Machine Builders in Astana. Opening the plenary sitting S. Akhmetov read the Kazakh President’s welcome address to the participants of the Forum.

"Kazakhstan’s machine building complex should become one of the key sectors of the country's economy in the near future. The Government creates all conditions for it: establishes institutional and legal framework, improves the investment climate, improves mechanisms of public-private partnership," the President’s welcoming speech reads.

Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Industry and New Technologies A.Issekeshev, Chairman of the Union of Machine Builders M.Pshembayev, General Manager of General Electric Transportation for Russia, CIS and South East Europe G. Bayhan, Director General of JSC "Belkamit" P.Beklemishev spoke on the prospects of development of Kazakhstan’s machine building industry.

Serik Akhmetov noted the need to modernize the industry. "For ten years we have increased the production output from 45 billion to 680 billion tenge. It is vital to hold modernization, reconstruction of factories, enterprises. We need new technology, new equipment. It is impossible to produce competitive products without it," the Head of Cabinet said.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister noted that "machine building is one of the major industries of any economy."

Main theme of the Forum is the prospects of development of Kazakhstan's machine building industry. The event is attended by more than 700 delegates from the CIS and non-CIS countries. The forum aims to become an international platform for effective interaction between representatives of government, business and science for the development and adoption of innovative solutions in the machine building industry, which is a priority for Kazakhstan.